The Washington critic., 1887-07-14
WASHINGTON, JULY IA, 1887.


postage paid, for 90 cents per month.
WASHINGTON, JULY II, 1887.
The District Commissioners are
making big mistake in ordering
stoppage Of the public fire alarms. nor
have they suggested a single plausible
reason for issuing such an order. They
must be aware that 1t is not the bells
rattling of the engines through the
streets, the shouts of the iiremeu, the
inevitable upronr that follows an
alarm, which eXcites the populace md
attracts them 10 the scene OF the con.
flagration. Nor even then is there
ever such crush and jam but what 1t
can be controlled auI kept out of the
way by the police, to whom the sound
ing of the alarm bells is prompt and
necessary guide, Not only are these
service to the police department in de.
terminipg the location of the fire,
but every citizen Of Washington
Is interested in knowing where
q fire breaks ont and where it
is. 1t is of importance to the mer-
chant, the house owner, to all business
people TO have some warning, either to
quiet his apprehensions In case the in.
cipient conflagralion is remote or en-.
able him to take steps for his own pro.
lection In case It is near at hand.
What should possess the Commission
ers to do away with the present alarm
system that has always given such
satisfaction and proved In many ways
so serviceable we cannot conceive, and
1t is much to be hoped that they will
reconsider their i'll advised action. 1t
Were better that all the bells in the city
even the ringing of the church bells
should cease than these friendly and
quick.tongued monitors of danger.
THE tragic death of Mr.. Kennedy
loses to Washington citizen of honor
able and useful record-a man of many
friends, of many virtues, exemplary
in all the relations of life. There is
something inexpressibly shocking In
the manner of his taking off-to think
that he should have lived so long and
to such good purpose, and won so fast
q hold upon the esteem of the commu-
nifty, and with the prospect of a serene
old age before him, TO be struck down
upon the street at last by the hand of q
I'm Il
Well saith the preacher that the ways
OF Providence are inscrutable. 1t was
not supposed that the deceased had an
enemy In the worll. lie probably had
not. His whole career. and it had al
ways been busy one, lay in the direc-
tion of duty, and he followed 1t plainly,
unswervlngly to the end To those
who are most nearly, most sharply, SO
irreparahly afflicted by his death,
thousands OF friends extend their clu
dolence. They have the consolation of
knowing in the hour of their sorrow
that the heart of the National Capital
throbs sympatheticalIy with theirs.
IT STEMS no THE CRITIc that the
District Commissioners are carrying
their opposition to "rings' TO most
ridiculous and unwarrantable extreme.
BETTER repentance at the eleventh
hour than not at all. 1t is not too late
for the National Rifles to accept the
situation, even If it iittie disagree
able, and follow their arms into the
District brigade. We all have to take
more or less unpleasant medicine in the
course of lifetime, but it is usually
for our own good. So let the Rifles
down with 1t and we are confident they
will never regret their action. TIE
CRITIC may be wrong about it, but II
seems to us as II this fine military or.
ganization owed something to the
public in this matter. The citizens oI
Washington have always had warn
side for the boys, and 1t is no mor'
than right that the boys should be gov
erned somewhat by the wishes of theil
friends, rather than by their Owl
selfish prejudices. What say you
Gentlemen of the Rifles
IT HAS BEEN urged against the STATE
Constitution just adopted by the Nor
mon Convention at Salt Lake that the
whole proceeding is stratagem; tina
the participators in the movement hop,
by hoodwinklng Congress 10 get Utal
into the Union, and once acquiring
statehood return by constitutions
amendment 10 their original polyg
amous status, In answer to this objeg
tion, which originates with the poll
ticlans of various pat ties at Salt Lake
the Detoret Ne@J says:
To meet those objections 81 rs provided thl
no nmCndmgnt shall be made on tills on
question without the consent uf Congress an
The President and that the inlur omeut
the National Executive shah be rrVuirel I
mako pardon elective, This Is N lp mn
usual But The stu dion l7 unusual. utI
has been served " ltu repeated uptl s1, ruiyp
by CunWess IN Gempustr.tiyg UCs.uuitiul
that without ccriuin rruvi'ous Uth wi
never be admitted as u state iutO tt' ifuloI
and now these conditions age met faukl
and fully,
What have tie ohi"clors to say t
thisr
WHAT about The festive auction bel
Messrs. Commissioners Is It's ol
familiar tongue to be also tied?
THE ringing of door bells by sol
peddlers, circular distributors, perip;
tetic book.agents and tramps general
L. ,..att.r that pbnu11 anupnau Il